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Blue Jays sign DH Frank Thomas

Blue Jays sign DH Frank Thomas

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Toronto Blue Jays Communications |

The Toronto Blue Jays have signed designated hitter Frank Thomas to a two-year contract worth $18 million dollars with an option for the 2009 season.

Thomas, 38, spent the 2006 season with the Oakland Athletics batting .270 with 11 doubles, 39 home runs and 114 RBI. The 6-5, 275 lb. right-handed hitter posted a .381 on-base percentage after drawing 81 walks while striking out 81 times. He was selected as the AL Comeback Player of the Year by the MLB Players Association.

In 17 Major League seasons, "The Big Hurt" has posted a .305 batting average with 458 doubles, 1,579 RBI and is currently 13 home runs shy of 500. Thomas currently ranks 23rd in Major League Baseball history with 487 home runs and is third among active players trailing only Barry Bonds (734) and Ken Griffey (563). He also ranks 14th in walks (1547), 33rd in RBI (1579), 35th in extra base hits (956) & 57th in total bases (4,203). The two-time MVP has posted a career slugging percentage of .566 and an on-base percentage of .424.

In Major League history only five players with at least 2,000 games played exceed his batting average (.305), on-base percentage (.424) and slugging percentage (.566). They are Jimmie Foxx (.325/.428/.609), Lou Gehrig (.340/.447/.632), Rogers Hornsby (.358/.434/.577), Babe Ruth (.342/.474/.690) and Ted Williams (.344/.482/.634). Thomas is one of only ten players in Major League history with a .300 batting average, 400 home runs, 1,000 RBI, 1,000 runs scored and 1,000 walks.

Thomas has appeared in 16 playoff games posting a .224 average with three home runs, five RBI and an on-base percentage of .441 while playing for the Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics. The Chicago White Sox drafted Thomas in 1989, first round, seventh overall, out of Auburn University. He would play 16 seasons in Chicago (1990-2005) before signing with Oakland for the 2006 season.